1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of exercise devices, and in particular to rope skipping apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a rope skipping apparatus based upon a horizontal bar around which a flexible hoop is rotated for skipping, the bar having means for receiving weights at either end thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of rope skipping devices based upon a horizontal bar having a hoop of flexible line attached thereto, are known in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,623--Granderson, such a device also comprises hand grips rotatable with respect to the horizontal bar, the user being required to manipulate the flexible line around the bar while grasping the hand grips. Similar hoop-defining jump ropes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 67,101--Browne; 104,674--Whitehead; 2,493,224--Brunt et al; 4,094,502--Cook, and others. Each of these devices includes the features of a horizontal bar and a hoop or flexible line running between the extreme ends of the bars, such that the user holds the bar horizontally while spinning the loop around the user's body.
The user of a bar-and-hoop rope skipping device according to the foregoing description normally has sufficient control to initiate the first swings of the rope even though the rope is attached directly to the ends of the bar. Some problems are encountered in certain situations, however, for example if an attempt is made to weight part of the device. Devices having weight means are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,932--Schuetz; 2,719,038--Massa, and others. These devices concern weighted handles, the flexible line (i.e., rope) being attached to otherwise-unconnected weight bodies. It is, of course, more difficult to jump a rope when extra weights are attached to the handles than to jump the same rope having simple un-weighted handles. Unconnected weighted handles, however, are not well adapted for receiving an adjustable amount of weights, as are bar-type devices such as barbells. Therefore, the prior art has been restricted to the inconvenience of hollow handles for receiving a quantity of sand or fluent material (e.g., Schuetz), or in the alternative, inconvenient means such as bolts for rigidly attaching incremental weights to a handle (e.g., Massa).
If one simply attempts to weight a bar of the type forming part of a rope skipping hoop, one has certain difficulties in using the device. The familiar jumprope is altered drastically by the addition of weight to a selected portion thereof. In short, the inertia of the weighted part, e.g., the bar, is drastically increased, without a corresponding increase in mass of the remainder, e.g., the flexible line. Therefore, the flexible line accelerates quickly, while the bar does not. The line often simply tends to wrap around the bar, making jumping impossible. Furthermore, this occurs even when rotatable grips are provided to allow the bar to rotate freely in the user's grasp.
According to the invention, standoff support rods are provided for attaching a flexible line to a weighted bar of a hoop-type jumprope. The standoff rods are rigidly attached to the bar, at right angles. The standoffs apply additional leverage to the bar. Therefore, the effective inertia of the flexible line causes the bar to rotate as required, notwithstanding the increased inertia of weights thereon. The standoff rods also have the additional benefit of providing a means for adjusting the length of the flexible line and/or a means for changing the position of a flexible line of a given length, to avoid undue wear at a given spot on the line.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,501--Peoples, an electric jumprope is disclosed in which an electric motor causes the rotation of an axial bar within a user-gripped tube, the internal axial bar having rigid standoff bars at either end thereof, extending past the ends of the tube. The device of Peoples requires less physical exertion of the user than even a conventional jumprope, and is therefore quite unlike the invention. Moreover, the need for Peoples' standoffs is directly related to the use of an internal torque-generating means, i.e., a motor. Inasmuch as the user is not attempting to swing the jumprope in an arc about his body, the lack of standoffs merely causes the motor to twist the rope, and not to initiate swinging. Therefore, Peoples' standoffs are necessary to the motorized function and are unrelated to those of the invention.
Recently, an exercise device known as the "Heavy Rope" has been marketed in which a simple length of flexible line is weighted by means of a fluent material. No rigid elements are employed. A flexible tube dimensioned similar to a garden hose, is filed with sand and cut to an appropriate length. Like the invention, the Heavy Rope increases the effort needed of the user to jump the rope. Therefore, more calories are burned during a given period of exercise. Nevertheless, the device has drawbacks. If the Heavy Rope is used for a period of time on a rough surface, the hollow flexible line will open and allow the catastrophic release of its contents. With the Heavy Rope fluent-filled line, or with prior art hollow handles, the user is required to attend line, or with prior art hollow handles, the user is required to attend to the filling and/or protection of the device from spills. Nowhere in the prior art is a device disclosed wherein the user is confronted with the difficulty of additional weight in a device that is practical for rope skipping, and has all the convenience of the adjustable-weight devices normally associated with barbells. According to the invention, however, a bar having means for receiving disk-shaped, barbell-type weights at either end thereof is provided with a rope skipping portion intermediate the weights. The additional inertia of the weights is overcome by standoffs rigidly attached to the bar by means of bolts passing through the bar to engage the standoff rods. The standoff rods are hollow such that frictional engagement means provided at their free ends allow the lengthwise adjustment of the loop of flexible line. Therefore, the user can receive the maximum benefit of his exercise time by the physical effort of additional weight, but enjoys the practicality of a balanced-inertia between bar and line and the convenience of easily-manipulated weights.